Browntggrr

I have been to CP on opening day numerous times where it has not only been cold, but rainy. Even w/o the precipatation, enjoying those rides in cold temperatures is a difficult task. Which brings me back to Winterfest. I'm sure if the revenue generated be Winterfest far outweighed the: planning, set-up, staffing, and cost it would still be around. The local Zoo had Zooluminations for a few weeks around Christmas years ago. It was a really fun event as the whole zoo was decorated in Christmas lights & seeing the animals in the winter time was a change of pace for most people. The event was cancelled due to lack of local intrest & difficulty in set-up. The effort far outweighed the revenue generated. It just wasn't worth the time to continue the event. I can see the same thing with Winterfest.

I always got a chuckle out of that line. To this day, I still believe this is the more appropriate line: " Where the magic of advertising our movies is close to the hype of a lifetime in announcing a new ride." But that is just me....

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2011/02/disney-outlines-first-details-of-1-billion-nextgen-initiative.html

^ Absolutely! What a fantastic addition for the museum.

While it may not be a done deal, I really don't believe Boeing would annouce a donatation of $5M without having some inside information. The article contains too many specifics for a closed-door deal not to have already been decided.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110215/NEWS0103/102160335/Aquarium-adding-penguins?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs

http://www.aviationdayton.com/news/news-stories/news-stories_files/2011-2-17-Boeing-to-give-5M-for-USAF-Museum.php The space shuttle will be in Dayton! That is a great reason to visit again!

^ That really depends on the condition of the track. Typically, there will be some small rust spots which will need to be sandblasted and if the metal track is not too worn or damaged, it can be re-used.

From my understanding, Beast's name came was determined by the "powers that be" from the roar of the train through the tunnels once the testing began. If i'm not mistaken, that information is found in one of these videos from Kings Island: Riding history to the limits: http://www.cetconnect.org/KingsIsland/index.aspx

I'm sure changes will be made once it is apparent the venue can no longer be used. If it is still used on a regular basis, why change it?

Nah, that is not the parent's responsibility, it's Disney's! My youngest daughter was burned by hot soup at home when she was 4 (which is why I am rather sensitive on this subject). My wife made the mistake of heating the soup for 2 minutes in the microwave and the soup spilled on my daughter's chest & stomach. Since her skin was so sensitive (due to her age) it blistered quickly. It appears to me, the nacho cheese incident falls along the same line. In a former life, I was a business that dealt with food & beverage. There is no good way to keep nacho cheese warm (hot enough) for both kids and adults, unless you have them microwave the cheese themselves- which will create numerous other issues. While I feel bad for the child, accidents like this happen. It just disgusts me that instead of the parents blaming themselves, they have to blame another party.

As a parent, I still check the food my kids eat- and they are 8 & 9. But hey- it's Disney's responsibilty to feed kids, not a parent's, right? I also question a parent's decision to allow a 4 year old to eat nachos to begin with....

This is where my opinion will not be a popular one... I do blame him for the lawsuit and for being upset. No one knows a guest's condition better than the guest himself. Since his condition is now so severe, he should have more common sense than to put himself in a potential life-threatening position. Yes, the ride broke down. Yes, guests were being removed from other boats. The ride breaking down for 40 minutes is not a serious enough emergency to extract him from the boat. Disney was put in a no-win situation. A cast member could have stayed with the boat the whole time. And during that time, the guest could have been getting more and more upset that he was still sitting there. I have seen numerous guests completely lose it when they don't get their way. Since this guest could potentially die with the notion of being upest, a cast member sitting there could make the situation worse. Disney could have moved the guest themselves, which would certainly put themselves in the liability window if he was dropped or not carried correctly. But Disney took the lesser of the evils, and kept the guest in the boat for 40 minutes. This is not an exceptional amount of time. If it was 2+ hours, then I could see his point. But for 40 minutes? That is a pathetic amount of time to be so angry to file a lawsuit. I do find the article somewhat amusing. The guest complains that a cast member did not come and talk to them but still makes this statement: Added bold for emphasis. If no cast member came up to them, how did he know they were not going to help him?

^ It would be terrible for diabled guests, but, from a park's "c.y.a" point of view, their hands are becoming more and more tied.

Or, more and more rides will not accomodate handicap guests at all.

With the risk of sounding unsympatetic for his condition; lawsuits like this are what cause parks to not allow guests with disabilities on rides. Rides breakdown all the time. It sucks when they do, but it happens. If his condition was so severe that sitting in a boat out of the weather for 40 minutes has the potential of causing death, he should have had the sense of not going on the ride. No park employee can determine if a rider in a wheelchair has such a severe pre-existing condition that a ride breakdown has the potential of causing death. What would happen if this same person was in a car that spun off the road into a snowbank? It would probably take 40+ minutes for a rescue crew/ towtruck to assist him. Would he than sue the: car manufacturer, road crews, and mother nature? Disney should be prasied just for assisting riders like this onto their rides. Lawsuits like this give parks an unjustifyable black eye.

Wow... It is really amazing on how things can be COMPLETELY taken out of context. Can I possibly buy you a coffee Timbo?

Which is quite the feat considering Vortex's first operating year was 1987! Edit- for Timbo's sake

And somewhere in the greater Cincy area, a KI exec sits back chuckling at the footage knowing that the rumors will be running rampant in the enthusiast online community. I wonder how long it will take for someone to post on Facebook that SoB will now be open this summer due to the footage.

*I believe* the Magnum sinking rumor started on a CP enthusiast site on April Fools Day many years ago. The rumor (or sinkhole) has grown so large now, it encompasses many coasters.

With the millions already spent at the numerous other "shots" I am hard pressed to agree that another $15,000,000 is acceptable. Given the history of money already spent (and using your numbers) $8,000,000 for deconstruction is cheap.

^ I wouldn't sweat it too much. If there is a time to enjoy WWoHP, you are going at the best time. Not to mention, the 4th quarter stats include Thanksgiving & Christmas/ New Years break. Most Florida parks are busting at the seems that time of year.

I was thinking along those same lines, but, I also consider WWoHP to be the most themed amusement attraction(s) ever. It should bring in this type of crowd.

Wizarding World sends Universal attendance through roof in 4th quarter http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-01-21/business/os-universal-orlando-earnings-20110121_1_forbidden-journey-wizarding-world-universal-parks-resorts

I wonder if the beer will still have the same taste as the current draft systems.